


Losing

by seri-kun (vanijane)



Series: Everything Red and Green [8]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, M/M, One-Sided Satoshi/Serena | Ash Ketchum/Serena
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-09
Updated: 2015-08-09
Packaged: 2018-04-13 18:32:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4532742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vanijane/pseuds/seri-kun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ash wasn't the only one who lost at the Kalos League.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Losing

**Author's Note:**

> Just so ya'll know, I haven't seen the Pokemon anime since Hoenn. And I usually just read summaries online (or whatever my friends tells me). So Serena may or may not be OOC. Also adding a pinch more maturity into Ash and Gary's personalities 'coz I imagined them to be at least 15-17 at this point. Ash is not forever 10.

When Ash lost against the Kalos League, his shoulders were visibly slumped even when he forced out a smile. To Serena who'd seen how hard and how much he'd trained to get this far, it was a most heartwrenching sight. It wasn't fair, but if pokemom battles were won through passion alone, Ash would've been the world champion. No one matched his passion for Pokemon and that was one of the reasons that drew her towards him.  
  
Once Ash was out of the stadium, Serena didn't waste any second to go meet up with him. She knew there weren't enough words to cheer him up but she knew she needed to be there by his side, to support him like how he had always been with her and her contests.  
  
She just turned around the corner but stopped when she saw him talking with some stranger in a dark jacket. Despite the noise from the crowd, she could still distinctly hear them because they were talking in Kantonese rather than in Kalosian.  
  
"--and I came all the way here," the stranger said though Serena couldn't see his face from where she stood.  
  
Ash said something, looking down and far worse than he'd been seconds ago. It was enough for Serena to frown and stomp over there to throw that stranger away and pull Ash to the nearest cafe to make him feel better but--  
  
"Idiot, that's not what I meant," the stranger shook his head and took off Ash's cap. "Ashy-boy, you were great out there. Who cares about titles, anyway-- bottomline is, you're great. Hardly the kid from Pallet I knew."  
  
"You're just saying that," Ash said with a roll of his eyes but a small smile was tugging at the corner of his lips. "Thanks, Gary. But I _am_ sorry. You came all the way here-- wait, _why_ are you here?"  
  
Gary shrugged, "came to see you. Talking on the phone is getting old."  
  
Ash flushed, "you're a dork."  
  
"You fall for it anyway, so I'll keep being a dork," he laughed and placed Ash's cap back on, turning it to give Ash the briefest kiss on the forehead.  
  
Ash was laughing by the time Gary pulled away and stopped himself to grin, "thanks, Gary. I do appreciate it, I just wish--"  
  
"I know, but I'll keep waiting. So don't worry about it. I'm proud of you and so are Daisy, Gramps and your mom."  
  
It was then that Ash noticed Serena, after sharing a look with Gary that made Serena feel like she was intruding on something she wasn't supposed to. He waved at her, calling her name just as Gary turned to look at her.  
  
"Serena! I'm sorry for that bad show--"  
  
"Oh no, that's not-- you were great, Ash. Really, you were," she said without much thought. She wanted to say more but it felt like Gary had taken all the words she wanted to say and they might think she overheard them if she did say what she wanted to. "So, don't feel bad about it. You did your best."  
  
"Thanks," Ash looked embarrassed at her praise and comfort. He quickly changed the topic by gesturing at Gary, "by the way, this is Gary Oak. He's from Pallet, too. And Gary, this is Serena, she's the one I told you about."  
  
They shook hands and Gary was actually a nice person, if not for the occasional off-handed remark but Ash took it in stride. In fact, he took it too much in stride and Serena decided she didn't like the look both boys shared when they thought she wasn't looking. It was like an inside joke and she wasn't in on it but it wasn't just _that_. It was an intimate look, one she hadn't seen Ash ever wear or give to anyone else and somewhere inside her, she was breaking because she wanted that look to have been meant for her.


End file.
